1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for balancing the torque generated by the cylinders of an internal combustion engine.
In particular, the present invention can be applied advantageously but not exclusively to direct-injection diesel engines which are provided with a common rail injection system, to which the following description will refer explicitly without however detracting from generality.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, in the present internal combustion engines, the fuel amount injected in each engine cycle can vary, sometimes quite substantially, from one injector to another.
This injection imbalance is caused by various factors, the main ones of which can be the dispersion of the injector characteristics because of the so-called “spreads” of the production process, the drift over a period of time of the characteristics of the injectors, and the ageing of the injection system.
This injection imbalance is highly undesirable since it gives rise to a corresponding imbalance of the torque generated by the engine cylinders, which has a negative effect on the exhaust gas emission levels and on consumption.